1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording system and, more specifically, to an image recording system comprising a host control unit for generating image data and a printer apparatus for an image on a paper in accordance with the image data, the printer apparatus being capable of dividing the image to be recorded into a plurality of areas and of forming respective areas of the image with different colors.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printer connected to a host machine such as a word processor, a personal computer for business use or the like to print various data such as letters, characters and images as hard copies has come to be provided with a color printing function, as host machines have come to have various functions and various manners of printing such as color printing have been desired.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open Gazette No. 203474/1986 discloses an electrophotographic copying machine capable of providing a multicolor copy by one copying operation by switching and driving a plurality of developing units containing developers of different colors. In this copying machine, areas which are to be developed by respective developing units are designated by inputting coordinates on an operation panel, visually checking the original.
Multicolor printing of 1 page is made possible in a photoelectric printer by providing a plurality of developing units and by witching these developing units as in the case of the above mentioned copying machine.
However, when multicolor printing of one page is carried out by switching the developing units, the division of areas is limited in the direction of transport of a photoreceptor, that is, the direction in which a sheet of paper passes through. Therefore, when area designation is carried out on a display of a host machine, the direction of paper transport corresponding to the designated areas must be taken in consideration.